Genetic Bases of Evolution

The EU is organized into five major areas:

Topic 1: Genetic mapping and recombination. Concepts in molecular biology related to gene expression, DNA repair, and epigenetic processes.

Topic 2: Introduction to Molecular Evolution: Measuring the intensity of selection in genetic divergence. The molecular clock and variation in evolutionary rates caused by natural selection. The neutral theory of evolution.

Topic 3: Introduction to Genomics: Composition and Size of Genomes. Importance of Repeated Elements. Concepts of Genetic Linkage and Local Selection Effects. Influence of Demographics.

Topic 4: Molecular Tools for Biodiversity: Barcoding, eDNA, metabarcoding. Molecular taxonomy. Limitations related to hybridization. Applications in conservation.

Topic 5: Extranuclear inheritance . Symbiosis, parasitism, and coevolution (intracellular: e.g., Wolbachia). The concept of the extended phenotype.

- Mendelian inheritance (covered in L1): Dominance, polyallelism, pleiotropy, and gene interactions.

- DNA Structure and Expression (L2 course)

The lab sessions will be computer-based. The course also aims to provide an introduction to genetic data analysis (bioinformatics) using software, as well as the basics of programming (loops, conditional statements) using the R language, which has the advantage of being used in other courses (particularly in statistics).

-Understand the mechanisms and processes underlying biodiversity (K1)

-Understand the tools used to describe biodiversity, from the gene to the biosphere (K4)

-Understand and be able to apply the various approaches and tools used in evolutionary biology and ecology: observation, sampling, experimentation, and statistical analysis (K6)

-Understand the process by which knowledge is developed in various disciplines (hypotheses, experimental results, controversial findings, mathematical theorems, scientific facts) (L1)

-Be able to apply concepts and tools from various disciplines to analyze a document, an observation, or the results of an experiment (L3)

-Be able to deliver an oral presentation and write a scientific report, using illustrations and a presentation style appropriate for the target audience, with the help of appropriate computer tools (L6)